If You Knew
by WitchlySexy
Summary: "Shh...don't cry, Granger. I'm not someone worthy to cry over." He croaked out. Both her hands went to her cheek, grasping his as she leaned on to his touch.  Read if you want to find out! Character death, feel free to cry lol


**DISCLAIMER: _I do not own Harry Potter. He belongs now and always to the genius J.. Hope you enjoy 3 Reviews are accepted =)_**

* * *

><p>The war was raging on brutally inside the castle. Everything crumbled to pieces. Large chunks of the walls were missing, these opening serving as illegal entrance to any Death Eater that came flying by. Hermione ran down a corridor, her lungs burning as she rushed to the Great Hall were the heart of the matter laid. Her legs came to a sudden halt when she came face to face with -Oh, surprise- a Death Eater. Both of them looked at each other hard, their wands steady and at the ready in their hands...and then he sneered.<p>

" Do you really think you can take me on, little girl?..." he said as he slowly started walking in a circle around her. Not looking for an opening, obviously confident in himself. He was just stretching the moment, relishing the taunting words as he thought he had the upper hand.

" I don't think I can take you on, worm...I _know _I can." said Hermione with a conviction she didn't fully feel, violently noticing that the corridor they were in looked particularly desolated even with a war going on...just her luck. Her eyes momentarily scanned the area as she turned on her spot as he circled her, never wanting to give him her back. Her eyes landed on a pair of black shoes hidden behind a torn and burned Hufflepuff banner. The Death Eater took advantage of this millisecond in which she made the mistake of paying attention to something else rather than him. It was then that Hermione heard two spells being shouted simultaneously.

"BOMBARDA!"

"SECTUSEMPRA!"

Her eyes widened as everything slowed down. She was very aware that part of the castle's ceiling was falling now above her head where the Death Eater had directed the spell. Hermione could only think of Harry and his noble heart, Ron and the sisterly love that had replaced her crush but she hadn't confessed afraid of hurting his feelings, of Ginny as the sister she never had, of the Wizarding World that had accepted AND rejected her so fiercely; yet she fought for all of them and the greater good. The horrible void in her heart took her breath away, knowing that she'd never make it to see the end, that she'd never have a family of her own. Suddenly she was pushed so hard that her body flew, smacking her head on to the rock wall. Her vision blurred and her body felt heavy but death couldn't be this painful so she guessed she was still alive. Slowly she managed to stand up causing the wall that previously wanted to crack her head open, as support. Hermione could only survey the damage in pure horror. The Death Eater laid no more than ten feet away from her in a puddle of his own blood. No doubt the caster of the _Sectusempra _curse had aim to kill. She walked over to him, her hand to her mouth containing her urge to vomit as she watched the deep gashes on his chest and neck from which the blood gushed out.

"I'm sorry..." she breathed out as his eyes glazed over, his life very much over. If Ron had been there he'd probably chastised her for apologizing to someone who had just tried to kill her, but it wasn't in her to relish someone's death. He was after all a human being...a sick twisted one, but still human. A groan caught her attention and in a flash remembered the par of feet that were behind the curtain, someone pushing and saving her. Hurrying towards the rubble of rocks with her heart in her throat she noticed that the one who laid under what was supposed to be her death was none other than Draco Malfoy. Hermione levitated the rocks off of him as quickly as possible but the damage was still there. He had saved her. Draco Malfoy, the boy that had tortured her for the past seven years of her life, son of Death Eater Lucius Malfoy and Death Eater himself had saved her. Hermione dropped to her knees, her eyes filling with tears unwillingly as she looked all over his body trying to figure out what to do with him and how to save him. Desperation took her as she began sobbing openly as she realized there was nothing she could do.

A gasp escaped her lips when a hand cupped her cheek wiping away her tears weakly; and for the first time Hermione Granger looked at Draco Malfoy, she really looked. She saw a boy that never knew what kind words and a loving hug from a parent was. She saw a boy who despite it all did everything he could to gain his parents approval. She saw a young man who never had the correct people or influences around him yet managed to wish for something more. She horribly saw now in flesh the broken man that he was inside.

"Shh...don't cry, Granger. I'm not someone worthy to cry over." He croaked out. Both her hands went to her cheek, grasping his as she leaned on to his touch.

"How can you say that? You...you just saved my life and because of me you are d-dying..." she finished, barely managing to spit out the broken words.

"And you saved mine, Granger...in so many ways you can't possibly begin to understand..." His voice had dropped to a whisper trying to conserve as much energy as he could. This only succeeded in making Hermione sob harder. She softly dropped his hand and made as if to leave, desperate to go get help but Draco knew it was futile. He was in excruciating pain and he knew he wasn't going to sneak past this one like with the rest.

"No, please, don't go...please don't leave, Hermione." He pleaded and he used her name. She sat back, taking his hand in hers again as she silently nodded. "One time Pansy asked me 'If you knew how many heartbeats I had left, what would you tell me?'" his thumb softly moved up and down on Hermione's hand in an effort to console her, every now and then feeling her warm tears fall on their joined hands. "I , naturally, didn't answer her. I mean, come on, it's Pansy." he said laughing at his own joke but just ended up groaning loudly in pain. "...but I have an answer now. Not for her though..." Draco said as he smiled painfully at Hermione. "If I knew how many heartbeats I had left...I would tell you, Hermione Granger, thank you. Because it was you who unknowingly changed me. It was you who taught me what bravery and loyalty really is. It was you who taught me to think of others before myself. It was you who taught me to look past prejudice and see other for who they are and..." Draco brought her hand to his lips and planted a loving kiss on her fingertips "...it was you who taught me how to love." he whispered to her as he moved her hand to his chest so she could feel his erratic heartbeat. He couldn't help but think that very cheesy line of _'Every one of them is for you...' _and feel disgusted with himself but strangely elated. He had done the right thing in the end.

"L-love?" Hermione stuttered wide eyed, making Draco chuckle slightly. "Yes, love. You really expected for me to learn to be a new person and not fall in love with how wonderful you are?" He said as he looked at her with the first tears she had ever seen him shed "My disdain towards you since the beginning was mainly fueled by anger and envy that you, a muggle-born, what my father taught me to believe weren't worth the very air I breathed, had everything I ever wanted." His eyes looked haunted, showing his deep regret at every word that he had ever uttered trying to hurt her. The pain was unbearable. It had taken a great deal to be able to talk without gasping but he needed to let her know. His vision started to blur and go dark and it felt like there wasn't enough oxygen around him. '_It's almost over.' _ he thought. "You were all that I needed." Draco said, his voice raspy. Hermione held his gaze as he mouthed 'Thank you', finally letting go.

"Thank you, Draco...Thank you." whispered Hermione as she carefully closed his eyes and mourned.


End file.
